Essay Stress Management Intervention and the Quality of Nursing Care – Nursing Assignment Help

Assignment Task

Stress management intervention and the quality of nursing care – Quality care can be argued to be the most important aspect of a nurses’ clinical activities. The ultimate goal of nursing services is to provide appropriate care to improve patient outcomes (Stuart & Johns, 2011). From a patient perspective, quality care is defined by the fulfilment of physical, psychosocial and communicational dimensions and trust in the nurses providing such care (Lucas et al., 2010). Additionally, nurses are also held accountable for the quality of care given by them from both an ethical and legal standpoint (Tippett & Farin, 2018). From a workplace or business standpoint, services are required to remain effective, efficient but also economical (Farin, 2018). As a result, the need to uphold this quality can increase employee stress in the workplace. Among the factors that influence the dimensions of quality care provided by nurses is occupational stress (James, 2013).

This may result from not only changes in the structure of the workplace but also frequent exposure to patients’ pain and suffering, administrative activities, the concerns and problems of other staff members or colleagues, inappropriate working conditions (for example rostering/shifts), as well as the pressure of upholding appropriate quality care (Smith et al., 2015). Previous research has indicated that those who work in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) undergo more stress than employees in other hospital wards (Adams et al., 2010). These employees have a higher work load and greater working hours, are more involved in interventions and care, and have increased contact with patients (Adams et al., 2010). This then questions the quality of care such professionals are able to give to patients admitted to these units.

Stress management appears to be a growing concern within large and high-stress workplaces. However, in hospital settings, engaging in such techniques in these environments can be challenging. There has been a growing trend to educate individuals on stress reducing practices and encourage the practice of such methods within the home, or in a place of less-stress. Professor George Wellings and colleagues who work in the field of stress management have developed a set of tools for organisations to give to employees to reduce stress in the workplace, with the intention of increasing well-being and productivity (Wellings et al., 2016). These resources aim to reduce the impact of stress on an individual through easy at home activities. Such methods include: Transcendental Meditation, Progressive Muscle Relaxation and Guided Imagery. One, 3-hour training session is all that is required, where employees are given demonstrations of all three techniques. Employees are then encouraged to choose one technique and practice daily. Within one month Wellings and colleagues (2016) suggest employees will begin to feel less stressed and as a result, be more productive.